Welcome to to my latest e-newsletter. In it you will find an update on recent coin market activity, why I am seemingly incapable of counting to thirteen, and – drum roll please – the debut offering of a copper-to-gold US type set of US coins. It is a PCGS registry set that was just recently “retired”. To give every one a chance at it, these coins will be sold individually. Part one of two is offered for your viewing and purchasing pleasure below.

The Baltimore Show and the Market Activity Thereafter All I can say is – Wow! After a tremendous show that I had in Baltimore and in the 2 weeks following the show, you may have noticed the effects of those sales on my website. I sold a huge variety of coins at price levels from $200 up to five figure coins. I was also able to pick up a number of interesting items; the first installment of these will be listed below. Were my results in Baltimore typical of the market as a whole? No. Remember that I am just one tiny fish in a large ocean. Many dealers I spoke to said the business they did was less than they hoped. Well then - to what do I attribute my good fortune? I'm glad you asked. I am certain it is because I am a numismatic genius. There; I said it. Oh sure – there could be other reasons. The mix of inventory I brought to the show, the cool coins I stumbled across and bought while at the show, and likely a hefty dose of dumb luck. But no – it was none of those. I’m going with the “pure genius” explanation. If I have a crummy show next time, I will have to affix the blame on something or someone else.

What’s With This “e-Newsletter # 13 1/3” Crazy Numbering System? I goofed and accidentally numbered the last issue as #13 (and not #12 as it should have been). I guess I got caught up in how perfect the number 13 would be for the Hallowe’en issue. It really isn’t too hard to keep track of numbering these issues, but I failed at this simple task. Perhaps I’m not the genius I thought I was just one minute ago.

An Important Offering of A Copper To Gold US PCGS Registry Type Set of US Coins – Part One I can't tell you how excited I am about this. Seldom does a dealer get the opportunity to offer a truly “fresh” collection of hand selected, really beautiful coins. Let me tell you a little about the man behind the coins. He is a Southern gentleman – and I mean gentleman. Despite having collected at a high level for decades, he is quite humble and self effacing. Just as importantly, he freely shares his knowledge with other collectors.

Over the years he has developed certain tastes: original surfaces, attractive toning but not toning that is too deep to see “under it”, strict grading and flashy luster.

In putting together this collection, he avoided many of the rookie mistakes that less experienced registry set collectors fall into. The biggest trap collectors fall into is: simply looking at the grade on the holder, and not the coin itself. He has passed up many potential “upgrades” to his set because they did not meet his aesthetic criteria. It is a large enough collection that I will be spreading it out over two newsletters. You will note that several of the coins below are CAC'd, and several are not. If a coin he purchased had a CAC sticker on it at the time –fine. However, he never sent any of the coins in to CAC for grade verification. Which means that if a coin does not have a CAC sticker, it is quite likely that it was never sent in to CAC in the first place. If you would like to see the set in its entirety, click on this link:http://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/alltimeset.aspx?s=99719

Now On to the NewP's

As in my previous newsletters – these coins are the items I have gathered over the last few weeks. The plan is to upload all these coins to my website. In the meantime, readers of this newsletter will be the very first to lay their eyes on these offerings. By popular demand, I've included photos of the coins where I have them.

The “Making the Grade” Featured Coin:

1801 $10 Gold. PCGS AU58. This is exactly the “look” of an early gold coin that one would want. Just a hair's breadth from full mint state, nice luster and – most important of all – with original green & gold toning that is absent from nearly all early gold remaining on planet earth. This issue was to be the highlight of the collector's set, so he wanted it to be a stunner. I believe he has succeeded. $27,000.

NewPs

1909 Indian Cent. PCGS graded MS66 Red CAC. Close your eyes and imagine you are living in the year 1909. You go to the bank and ask for a cent of the current year. You look at it, hold it by the edges and twirl it in the light. This is the coin you see in your mind's eye. $1800. 1883 Three Cent Nickel. PCGS graded Proof-67 CAMEO, CAC. I remember the days during the “great coin boom” when proof 3c nickels were the hottest thing in the coin market, when a crummy example (but one still called “gem proof”) would sell immediately for $3500. A coin that looked like this would stop people in their tracks then. The excitement of that era has died down, but the fact remains that these are great looking coins in top grade, and the series is completable without breaking the bank if one so desired. A PCGS TrueView image accompanies this coin. $1550. 1862 Seated Half Dime. PCGS graded MS67, CAC. A stunning example of this Civil War year silver coin. A ring of brilliant green-blue toning encircles the coin, and this color fades to near white in the centers. $3300. 1884 Seated Dime. PCGS graded Proof-67 Cameo, CAC. Deep mirrors, frosty devices and a ring of obverse toning. PCGS only occasionally calls silver proof coins with toning “cameo”. It is nice to find one that meets the criteria for cameo and still has some personality. $4350. 1890 Seated Dime. PCGS graded Proof-66 Cameo, CAC. A nice complement to the seated dime above. Similar, but sports a little more toning, this of the sea-green , gold and blue variety. $2350. 1899 Barber Dime. PCGS graded Proof-67+ Cameo, CAC. Another stunning example of the coiner's art. By some wonderful circumstance, this specimen stands alone as the highest graded example in cameo by PCGS. $6700. 1875 Twenty Cent Piece. PCGS graded Proof-65 Cameo. A “black & white” cameo example of this popular (among collectors, but not among the public at large in the 1870's) denomination. You will never need to upgrade this coin. A PCGS TrueView image accompanies this coin. $10,600. 1831 Bust Quarter. PCGS graded MS64. Ex Eliasberg. B-1, considered to be rarity-3. A flashy coin with booming luster, and out of perhaps the most famous US coin collection of all time. $8500. 1885 Seated Quarter. PCGS graded Proof-67 Cameo, CAC. A black-and-white cameo example that is – for all intents and purposes – perfect. This coin is also the single highest graded example in the PCGS population report. $8250.1899 Barber Quarter. PCGS graded Proof-67+. A beautifully toned coin that appears as though it was plucked from an original proof set at one time. $5300. 1813 Bust Half Dollar. PCGS graded VF35, CAC. A crusty and original medium gold in color on this handsome, early date bust half. $495.1834 Bust Half Dollar. PCGS graded XF45. The Large Date, Small Letters Redbook variety as stated on the PCGS tag. Pretty, crusty, original. $195. 1879-CC Morgan Dollar. PCGS graded MS64, CAC. A great coin for the lover of rare date Morgan dollars, as well as those who like their Morgans beautifully toned. It is quite unusual to find a '79-CC $1 with such great colors. $9650.1925 Peace Dollar. PCGS graded MS67. Pure white and fully struck. There is no place for marks, scuffs and hairlines to hide. A PCGS TrueView image accompanies this coin. $5200.1836 Classic Head Quarter Eagle. PCGS graded MS64. The Script 8 Redbook variety. Rich gold in color with silky luster washing over all the surfaces. This type is incredibly difficult to find in this grade and above. A PCGS TrueView image accompanies this coin. In fact, this is the PCGS Coinfacts plate coin. $13,800. 1838 Classic Head Half Eagle. PCGS graded MS63. A perfect companion piece to the classic head quarter eagle listed above, and a better date as well. Everyone knows that early gold is among the sexiest issues in the US coinage series. Classic head gold – especially top grade pieces like this one – are often overlooked by those chasing the earlier dates. $12,500. 1904 Liberty Half Eagle. PCGS graded MS66. Great color, and a very difficult coin to find in such high grade. It behooves one to take a look at nice US gold type coins while he focus of buyers is elsewhere. It is likely that this situation will not go on forever. $6300. 1912 Indian Half Eagle. PCGS Graded MS64. Silky luster, original color, and no major marks. This coin would easily fit into a gem US gold type set. $2600. 1883 Hawaii Silver Dollar. PCGS graded VF35. Blue-gray toning about the rims fades to a medium gray in the centers. Original and choice for the grade. $550.

Esoterica1781-Mo FF Mexico Portrait Style 8 Reales. PCGS graded AU58. Attractive and original, with colorful toning about the periphery. $450. 1823 Contemporary Counterfeit Bust Half Dollar. XF-AU (uncertified). Davignon 1/A. A very high grade example of a common (by bogus bust half standards, anyway) variety. So much so, in fact, that I bought a 32 coin group of (otherwise genuine) bust half dollars at the Baltimore show just so I could buy this coin. Not sure why – it's just that something about this coin really appeals to me. $145.

1832 Contemporary Counterfeit Bust Half Dollar. Very Fine (uncertified). Davignon 2/B, considered to be common. A handsome example of an issue that is said to be struck by genuine US mint dies that were somehow spirited out of the mint. Lots of history and coolness for... $90. 1899 German Dog Medal. Proof (uncertified). This medal – which at 40mm is nearly the size of a silver dollar but thinner – was so cool that I had to buy it. The design is terrific, the condition is excellent, the toning is pretty. It refers to the 5/6-8/1899 Bochum International Fair. A great medal for collectors of medals from the Bochum International Fair. I guess it might appeal to dog lovers as well. $195.